It's Just a Phase
7 "It's Just a Phase" is the fourth chapter The Last Son, Book One: Gatherings. Superman and the X-Men seeks to recruit Kitty Pryde, who is developing mutant powers. However, Lance Alvers, otherwise known as the mutant Avalanche, attempts to win over Kitty. Plot Superman saves a downed airliner over Northbrook, Illinois and suddenly hears a earthquake within the area that doesn't lie near a fault line. He receives contact through his belt communicator from Professor Xavier, who informs him that Cerebro has detected two mutants that are already active in Northbrook: Katherine "Kitty" Pryde who can become intangible; Lance Alvers, who can generate seismic waves. Xavier and Jean Grey are planning to set out to Northbrook to meet with Kitty. That morning, Clark meets with Xavier and Jean, who they plan in seeing Kitty's family before seeing her. At the same time, Kitty has a hard time adjusting to her high school as she is constantly the victim of teenage bullies. After being stuffed in her locker, Kitty suddenly phase through and stumbles into school delinquent Lance Alvers. Lance has notice Kitty's powers and shows her that he is the same as her's, as he demonstrate to create a small earthquake. Kitty is horrified in seeing this and runs off. Meanwhile, Clark, Xavier, and Jean meets with Mrs. Pryde and informing her of her daughter being a mutant and the Institute that offers. Upon learning Kitty is already at her school, Xavier decide to have Jean go see Kitty and Lance. Jean finds Kitty moping at a old theater building and tries to befriend her. When Jean shows her power, this immediately frightens Kitty to run away. Lance have already seen their interchange and tells off Jean to stay away from Kitty before storming off. Jean telepathically communicate with Xavier of what occurred, which Xavier has sent Clark to help. Clark, as Superman, finds Kitty, who, revealed to be a Superman fan, is taken by surprised and immediately excited to see him. Superman shows sympathy to Kitty that she is not a freak and that her parents still loves her no matter what she is by comparing his life under the Kents while developing his Kryptonian powers, and also is impressed with Kitty's powers, creating some confidence in Kitty. Superman's words are cut short as he hears another disaster and flies off before promising to Kitty that he will be back. Lance overheard their conversation and disabuse to Kitty that Superman doesn't actually understood their problems by his own ideals. He tells Kitty to meet him at school to show "how to control". After Superman absolve the disaster of a sinking Russian submarine and saving its crew, he flies back to Northbrook and passes over New York City, but to see Wolverine, Cyclops, and Nightcrawler fighting Sabretooth in a construction yard. Wolverine had been driving by when he was ambushed by Sabretooth, whose powers is augmented by an Mutant Enhancer. Superman arrives on the scene and literally sends Sabretooth flying into the sky. He then resumes his travel back to Northbrook. Back at the Prydes' home, Kitty's parents are concern of their daughter's lateness. At the suggestion of Mrs. Pryde, Xavier locates Kitty with Lance and is alerted that they must go to her school before it is too late. At the school, Kitty uses her powers to phase herself and Lance inside. They are in the principle's office in which Lance's reveals his intentions was to have Kitty to gain access to the school's test answers and selling them. Kitty is upset of Lance using her, but Lance insists that he is "evening the score". They are confronted by Superman, who overheard, and tells Lance to leave Kitty. Both Superman and Lance voice out their reasons to Kitty, just as her parents, Xavier and Jean arrive. The Prydes forgive their daughter for repressing her powers and the sheltered life they had taken for granted. Moved by her parents, Kitty leaves Lance. This infuriates Lance and start using his seismic wave to bring the ceiling down on everyone. Fortunately, Kitty and Jean use their powers to save Xavier and the Prydes, and Superman simply burst out of the rubble. Lance use his powers again, but Superman cancels his seismic wave by creating his own by stomping his foot. An enraged attempts to punch Superman, but breaks his hand in the process. Superman then blows Lance away with his breath to falling some feet away, inducing him to unconscious. Kitty is formally introduce to Xavier, who tells her about his Institute that will help her control her powers and leaves her choice to whether go or not. Kitty decides to be enroll, and everyone leaves to the Prydes' home to discuss the details. Lance slowly recovers and fumes Superman for his defeat. He is found by Mystique, who offers him to join the Brotherhood that shares Lance's views. Lance gladly accepts and decides to call himself Avalanche. Meanwhile, Sabretooth had landed in a landfill and had dug himself out while recovering from his injuries. He contacts Magneto and berates him for not telling him about Superman and his association with the X-Men. Magneto finds this news troubling. Quotes Superman: Kitty, if I could fly just half as fast as you can talk, I could reach Saturn in a day! ---- Lance: Do you think that overgrown Boy Scout honestly understands you? Kitty: He said... Lance: He flies, Kitty...and because of it, his head's so far up in the clouds that he can't understand what it's like, down here. All that people like us have is each other. ---- Sabretooth: You wanna make somethin' of it, kid? Superman: I don't want to fight you. Sabretooth: Smart kid! I'' wouldn't want to fight me, ''either! ---- Superman: I didn't mean to hit him that hard. Wolverine: Relax, Flyboy. I've seen Creed walk away from worse. ---- Lance: (thinking) Ugh...I drop a ceiling on the Super-dork, and I'm the one who ends up feeling like a mountain fell on me. ---- Sabretooth: What the hell, Magneto? Why the bloody hell didn't you tell me that Short-Stuff's team had a God-damn RINGER? Magneto: (pause) You encountered Superman. Sabretooth: Damn right! The little bastard nearly sent me into orbit! Why the hell didn't you warn me about him? Continuity *First appearances of Shadowcat, Avalanche, and Sabretooth. Background information *This story is an adaptation of the X-Men: Evolution episode "The X-Impulse". Category:Last Son, Book One chapters